In recent years, various light emitting apparatuses in which solid-state light emitting elements such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) are used as a light source have come into practical use. Such light emitting apparatuses are widely used, for example, as a matrix display device in which a matrix of plural LEDs emits light selectively to display characters or images, a backlight for a liquid crystal panel of a liquid crystal display device, or the like.
In such a light emitting apparatus, each of the LEDs mounted on the board is covered with a transparent cover member, in most cases. The cover member is used, for example, to protect or seal the LED or to refract, in a desired direction, an optical path of light emitted from the solid-state light emitting elements.
Heretofore, there has been a proposal of a molding method for forming a lens-shaped cover for an LED mounted on a board. Specifically, the method includes forming a pair of portions defining penetration holes in the vicinity of the LED mounted on the board; and setting, on one surface of the board, an upper mold provided with a cavity in a predetermined form of lens for the mounted LED, and on the other surface thereof, a lower mold provided with a different cavity serving as a pouring basin corresponding to the cavity. The method includes then injecting a molding resin from the different cavity provided in the lower mold into the cavity in the form of lens via the portions defining the penetration holes; and subsequently forming the cover over the LED (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Publication No. 7-22653